Who's eating me (parts 1 and 2)

The common milkweed is a host plant for the monarch butterfly caterpillar.   Other insects feed on it as well - and they can devour the leaves and eat the seeds.

Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii)

A Small Milkweed bug sitting on a milkweed seed pod.  These bugs eat milkweed seeds.

 

 

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Euchaetes egle)

Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars are eating this milkweed leaf; what's left of a devoured one is seen in the lower right corner.

 

 

Gold rush

 

Where did we stay last year?

The bright yellow color of this Spotted Tussock moth caterpillar made it easy to spot as it headed up the fourth step of the porch, looking to find itself an overwintering spot.

The Lophocampa maculata, the Yellow Spotted Tussock moth, is really a Tiger moth.  Those hair tufts on the caterpillar cause it to be called a "tussock moth caterpillar".  This caterpillar has five spots; the fifth one is next to the banding at its rear.

Who lives here?

 

Passing by, a spider web in this fence post catches the eye:

We peek in, and spy:

 

It's a spider.  Oh my! 

 

That may very well be a spider of the Agelenidae (funnel-weaver) family.

Table for three

 

Tischlein, deck dich!

 

 

While waiting for its first sitters, this table set for three enjoys the late afternoon sun.

Baskettail dragonfly

 

Rosy rest

 

A dragonfly takes a rest break from flying and catching.  This one looks like it is a Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) dragonfly, possibly a female.

Needle eye contrail

 

Up in the sky

 

Barely visible itself, this twin jet engine airliner leaves a tell tale "needle eye" contrail in the milky blue sky.  The rather short contrail indicates the air is dry at flight height.

 

Waiting in the lobby

 

He is tall

 

Fourteen feet tall, clothed in gold leaf, The Independent Man awaits return to his rightful place high atop the State House.  This relaxed view 3d stereograph presents him in the main lobby of that staid building.